'Albertans need to decide': Rural leaders want idea of provincial police force on the ballot
While Premier Danielle Smith has made a directive to her public safety minister to move ahead with an Alberta police service, rural politicians want to see Albertans vote on the idea.
In Smith's mandate letter to Mike Ellis last week, the premier told the minister to work with colleagues to "launch an Alberta police service."
"The polling numbers say this isn't a great idea. The folks I represent say this isn't a great idea. I honestly don't understand who wants this," said Paul McLauchlin, Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) president.
Both his group and Municipalities Alberta formally oppose the idea of moving away from the RCMP in Alberta.
"If the intent of this government is to battle rural crime, I think that the money that they're talking about that would be over and above what we would be expecting, could go into the mental health support connections with AHS," he said.
A report commissioned for the province shows the price tag to transition away from the RCMP would be about $366 million initially, with annual costs of around $734 million. Keeping the RCMP in Alberta currently costs about $500 million per year, with more than $150 million of that covered by the federal government.
"We've also been hearing very clearly from folks that, specifically in the rural areas, crime is still a problem. And it really boils down to public safety," Ellis told CTV News last week.
RMA members want to see the province instead work with the RCMP on the issues leading to crime, instead of spending years and hundreds of millions of dollars creating another police force.
"I think Albertans need to decide, to be quite honest. I think this needs to be part of the next election because we're worried that this is going down a path that will become hard to fix, and easy to break," McLauchlin said.
There's no timeline given in Smith's mandate letters as to when a final decision will be made, or when a provincial police force could be launched.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.